Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the third leading cause of death in Pakistan. Around 300,000 people die annually due to drug-resistant bacteria, stated health officials, public health experts, physicians, and policymakers on Sunday.
Pakistan is the third-largest consumer of antibiotics globally, after China and India. In 2023, antibiotic medicines worth Rs126 billion were consumed. Officials urged people to avoid purchasing and using antibiotics without advice from trained and qualified physicians.
“AMR is now the third leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases and maternal and neonatal disorders in Pakistan. We now have infections caused by bacteria that do not respond to third- and fourth-generation antibiotics. Abuse of antibiotics by doctors, quacks, and people themselves is making these medicines ineffective,” said Professor Shahzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of Health Services Academy (HSA).
Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan stated that antibiotics are ‘wonder drugs’ that saved millions of lives during world wars and pandemics. However, their irrational use has led to AMR, a global public health concern.
“Self-medication, unjustified prescriptions by quacks and physicians, taking antibiotics for a short duration, and substandard antibiotics by some companies are major causes of AMR,” he added.
“People are now dying due to infections that are extremely hard to treat because bacteria have developed resistance against these medicines,” said Former Punjab Health Minister and President of the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (PSIM) Professor Javed Akram.
“Pakistan has become the world capital of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. Additionally, we have developed Extremely Drug-Resistant (XDR) typhoid, Multi-drug-resistant (MDR) TB, and other infections that are hard to treat with most antibiotics. We have been using antibiotics like candies,” he opined.
He urged people to consider antibiotics as “poison,” advising against self-medication.
NIH representative and senior microbiologist Dr. Afreenish Amir said AMR has spread to almost all countries, including Pakistan, due to the “misuse and overuse” of antibiotics. This increases the burden of infections due to resistant bacteria and limits treatment options.
Renowned paediatrician and public health scientist Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta urged people to vaccinate their children against typhoid. He noted that Pakistan is the only country where the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) is administered to children to prevent drug-resistant water-borne diseases.
Dr. Wajiha Javed, Associate Director of Public Health at Getz Pharma, said the authorities should address the over-the-counter availability of antibiotics, their use for short durations, and unnecessary prescriptions by quacks and doctors.
She added that substandard antibiotics containing low-grade raw materials also contribute to AMR. Dr. Javed announced that Getz Pharma is working with NIH and the government to develop a national action plan on AMR.
 has become the third leading cause of death in Pakistan, with around 300,000 annual deaths. Experts urge responsible antibiotic use to combat this growing public health crisis.){kind=link}